NJPP advocates restoring individual mandate

Until its repeal, the individual mandate imposed tax penalties on individuals for not having health insurance. - (THINKSTOCK)

A New Jersey think tank says the state could see 1 million residents without health care coverage in the next decade, if the state does not pass S-1877 or companion bill S-1878, which would essentially restore the individual mandate under the Affordable Care Act.

Until it was killed, the individual mandate imposed tax penalties on individuals for not having health insurance.

New Jersey Policy Perspective also predicts a 10 percent rise in health care insurance premiums if the individual mandate is not restored. Ray Castro, NJPP's Director of Health Policy, testified before the state Senate’s Banking and Insurance Committee on Monday.

Said Castro: “[Restoring the mandate will provide an important incentive to ensure that younger, healthier people obtain insurance and spread the risk in the health insurance pool. Without robust participation of these individuals, insurance premiums will climb and the market could destabilize. …”

“Unless legislation is enacted soon to address this problem, next year up to about 150,000 middle-class New Jerseyans will have to spend up to $76 million more in premiums compared to last year.”

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Screw Obamacare. It's a disaster that drove prices up to unsustainable levels and drove people out of the market due to high deductibles and ridiculous premiums.

SkepticMarch 6, 2018 2:53 pm

So fine people who can't afford insurance so the gov't can give it to illegals who won't pay for it as long as the vote democrat. If you eliminate the mandate, then the insurance companies are force to compete for business and price it affordably. If you force people to buy, they jack up the cost because you have to but it. Dumb law from dumb politicians. Real working class solution.